The Dallas Cowboys, after what was easily their most ferocious defensive performance in 2-3 decades, dropped significantly in every major defensive statistical ranking, and most of the minor ones as well.
This also says a lot about just how good Peyton Manning is. That was an "off" day for him? Remove a few drops or a tipped ball returned for 6 and the Colts win that game despite an incredible performance by the Dallas D as a whole and Demarcus Ware in particular. It still took an amazing play by Ware to finally put the game away with a little over 2 mins to go...
Which brings us to reason #2 not to trust stats-- 4th and 2 inside the Dallas 10, Manning at the helm, game on the line, Demarcus Ware is on Dallas Clark. He runs with Clark a couple of steps, then correctly reads that Reggie Wayne is coming underneath for an easy 1st down catch and re-routes Clark totally out of the play. Then he reverses his direction and gets back in time to jam Wayne so hard he goes to the ground. It's less than 5 yds downfield and before Manning gets the ball in the air, so it's a legal hit. Ware single-handedly took Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark out of a red zone play... and it doesn't show up in the stats at all.
Don't know if anyone cares, but I just picked up some of this watching the game on NFL replay last night.
Posts: 3846 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
Football? I have a vague recollection of this "football" you mention. But I'm quite sure that it is merely a mythical construct created to torture people by dangling success in front of them and yanking it cruelly away.
On a totally unrelated topic, how come my TV goes blank for 4-8 hour periods on Sundays (and on one channel, on Monday nights)?
Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Dagonee: Football? I have a vague recollection of this "football" you mention. But I'm quite sure that it is merely a mythical construct created to torture people by dangling success in front of them and yanking it cruelly away.
I'm sure it has yet to do this to many people so far this year... the Eagles and Falcons may well be still the tip of the iceberg...
Posts: 3846 | Registered: Apr 2004
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Stats are all but useless to anaylze football. They're not much better in basketball. Some of them are good indicators of performance*, but most just give people with more passion than knowledge fuel to argue with.
*Turnover margin in football is one big one, as is assist-to-turnover rate in bball (though only for guards).
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Like the Bears need any encouragement at this point?
Off topic, it actually kinda sucks that McNabb went down... this was going to be a hell of an NFC playoff race, but now one of the key teams in it is crippled and with Atlanta looking pretty rough-- streaky at best and now a game down on everyone-- it looks to be down to Dallas, the Giants, New Orleans, and Carolina, for the division and wild card spots... if the Giants can get moderately healthy.
Edit: Thanks, Dag, it was a great game... I was on the edge of my seat right up till Dallas got their last first down.
Posts: 3846 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
Not a chance. But Dag is (though I don't blame him for not admitting it at this point -- what a nightmare that team is).
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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(I feel a need to put that in all of the football threads whenever I get the chance. )
Indeed! I'm still trying to convince my boss that since he's going out of town for New Year's and therefore can't use his Packers tickets, that he should give them to me.... LOL
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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